Lyme Disease and Drinking Alcohol

When you find out you have Lyme disease you may told several things about your 
treatment. You will be told what dietary options should change, what you can do to 
reduce issues with the disease, and even some ways to cure it. What you may also be 
told is that there are risks of drinking alcohol along with Lyme disease. Here is what you 
need to know and the risk factors that need to be considered.

Liver Issues

Liver issues are the number one reason your doctor may tell you to avoid drinking 
alcohol while you are undergoing Lyme disease treatment. The reason for this is that 
the disease can affect the liver directly putting it into a weakened state. Once in this 
weakened state, drinking alcohol can make it worse. If you continue to do this, you 
could end up with liver failure and severe liver disease that lasts long after the treatment 
for Lyme disease is completed. It will also take longer to detox your liver which will 
already take some time due to the symptoms that Lyme disease causes. 

Increased Histamine

You may not think of an increased production of histamine as being an issue. The 
problem is that if you have contracted Lyme disease you could also be dealing with a 
histamine intolerance. This is something you may never have had an issue with, but 
with the disease it is now a problem. Alcohol can stimulate the body into producing 
more histamine which will increase the histamine in your system, trigger the intolerance, 
and trigger a massive reaction. This reaction can cause a trip to the hospital and an 
extended stay, but it can also cause something as severe as death. 

Porphyrin Levels

Porphyrin is something that many people may not have heard of until you have Lyme 
disease. Porphyrin is actually refers to the issue of Porphyria. This deals directly with 
your body producing hemoglobin which is essential to your body fighting illness. This 
issue can be marked by severe stomach pain, digestion issues, and breathing 
problems. Alcohol can increase the chances of this happening and can bring on worse 
symptoms if you already have the issue. 

This is not to say that you should or should not drink. What it is to say is that you should 
be aware of the risk factors and what could happen if you drink alcohol on a routine 
basis while you are living with Lyme disease. 
